Nepal's New Communist Government Produces Gains for the People

Reprinted from People's Democracy,
organ of the Cornmunist Party of India (Marxist)

KATMANDU, Nepal - Over 3,000
landless settlers living in Morang district,
eastern Nepal, have received land ownership
certificates, the Nepali national news
agency reported. The distribution of land
ownership certificates was made in accordance
with a decision by the government
to solve the long existing problem of the
landless settlers.

The re-registration of the applicants is
now under way as there are some 50,000
to 55,000 landless settlers in Morang district.

Distribution of land ownership certificates
has also started in other districts in
the country, and some 100,000 families of
landless settlers would have received certificates
from the Nepali Central land SettIers Problems
Resolution Commission by the end of May.

This was disclosed- by Keshav Wadal,
chairman of the high level Land Reform
Commission set up on January 16 by the
new Cornmunist government.

He said the distribution of certificates
to these families would be finished before
the forthcoming budget parliament session
which convenes this month.

According to his estimation, there are
about 300,000 landless settler families in
the country's 75 districts, and it would
take ro less than two years for the government
to solve the long existing problem of
landless settlers.

As to the land reform, Wadal said his
commission is now continuously conducting
investigations in districts, and work in
30 districts was already completed.

He said the land reform program was
welcomed by most local leaders at both
district and village levels.

The commission also plans to go
abroad soon to learn from some other
countries about their successful land reforms.
After that, the commission would
hand over a report on land reform to the
government and prepare a draft bill on the
program to he discussed and voted by the
budget session of parliament.

In another rnajor breakthrough since
the Communists came to power in the
country last year, the number of local
health~clinics throughout Nepal is now expected
to reach 2,000 within the current
fiscal year (July 1994 to July 1995), according
to the department of hea1th services.
This constitutes a major step towards
universalization of health care services in
the country.

The village developmert commttees
are required to build necessary infrastructures
for the local health clinics and the
salary of the personnel, equipment and
medicines will be provided by the government,
the department said.

The department also asked health
workers to visit the wards twice a month,
and suggested that the district heal officer
inspect the local health clinics regularly.
Arrangements have been made to provide
vaccinations, family planning services
and suggestions on maternity matters.

According to the Nepali goverment's
health project, there should be at least one
assistant health worker, one village health
worker and one maternity worker in each
local health clinic.